Promising ethanologens for xylose fermentation

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:150437

Zhang, M; Franden, M A; Newman, M ^[1]

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1. National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States); and others

An economical biomass-to-ethanol process depends on the efficient conversion of both its cellulose and hemicellulose components. On a dry weight basis, the typical feedstock contains approx 25-50% (w/w) glucose, 10-30% (w/w) xylose, 15-30% (w/w) lignin, and 1-5% (w/w) of other minor pentose and hexose sugars. Although many microorganisms can ferment the glucose component in cellulose to ethanol, conversion of pentose sugars in the hemicellulose fraction, particularly xylose, has been hindered by the lack of a suitable biocatalyst. Despite the development of recombinant strains with improved fermentation performance, increased ethanol yields and concentrations and shorter fermentation times are key targets that have yet to be achieved from lignocellulosic hydrolyzates. Our objective is to develop biocatalysts for the rapid and efficient conversion of xylose by engineering key metabolic pathways in selected organisms. To identify promising biocatalysts for these efforts, we have surveyed several industrial microorganisms according to several primary traits considered to be essential, as well as a number of secondary traits considered to be desirable, in a commercial biomass-to-ethanol process.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
• OSTI ID: 150437
• Report Number(s): CONF-940526--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
55 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
BASIC STUDIES
BIOCONVERSION
BIOLOGICAL PATHWAYS
BIOMASS
CATALYSTS
ETHANOL
FERMENTATION
MICROORGANISMS
STRAINS
XYLOSE